Mitchell Reel Forum

I found a bit of an obscure Mitchell on the ‘bay a few days back:


instagram download your own photos

This is a glamour shot, taken after a strip, clean, lubricate, and adjustment. The reel seems to have seen little use, but, was suffering a bent crank, I had a nice used one of about the same vintage on hand. Bail works flawlessly, none of the plastic heads are sheared off the baffle plate, and with some fresh line, she will be more than ready to fish. The serial number is so lightly stamped I can only read the first few digits, and they seem to be 802, no letter code, so 1968-1970 would be my guess. All the original shims went right back in, and it runs like new.

8000 or so of these produced, I had been looking to replace one that disappeared from my brother’s house. This one will be living here, henceforth.

Be well, my Mitchell brothern.


Ted

WOW, WOW, WOW, you have a unicorn. I know you have been looking for that reel for some time. You found it in less time considering the ages. MY all-time favorite reel that I use every time I go freshwater fishing. I have a spare as mentioned. It will go to the grave with me. In The Will......
Kim

Thanks. This year, I’ve e hunted down a few old Mitchell reels just because I wanted them. I probably wanted them as a kid, too, but, I could only afford my 301, and a Mitchell rod for it, at the time. I didn’t live on the wrong side of the tracks, but, you could see and hear the trains run from my neighborhood. We weren’t rich. My reel and fishing gear was mostly my problem.

I dig bait for a bait farm as a young teenager. We got a penny each for red worms, 2 pennies each for night crawlers, 3 pennies each for crickets, 20 cents each for frogs. I think I spent $15 for my reel, had to wait until later in the summer to get the pole, and it was going to be a Mitchell pole. I still have them both. That was close to 50 fishing seasons ago.

I replaced 331 and 441 reels, added a 301 and a 401, repaired my hapless brother’s 300, serviced my Dad’s 440 and 300 reels, got bummed out when I realized Dad’s 330 was stolen, and added a 401 and a 301C to the collection, more of an accumulation, I guess. I bought some new parts, bought some used parts, bought a few parts reels, and discovered I had enough parts to put a sad looking and beat up old 300 back in business. No paint on the body of that one, it lived a hard life, but, with a few new shims and a better axle it runs amazing. I bought a 303 from 1954 just because it was only $20. I have one more 301C coming, think I’m done after that.

I think.

Ted